


In defense of Eigenberg

by light50



Series: Pharmercy weekly prompts [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/F, Prompt Fic, heavy on battle, light on fantasy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-12
Updated: 2017-05-12
Packaged: 2018-10-30 13:59:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10878243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/light50/pseuds/light50
Summary: Done as for the pharmercy subreddit weekly prompt. Being the very careful person I am, I misread the prompt as medieval, not fantasy, so the magicy elements were added last minute. As always, constructive criticism welcome.





	In defense of Eigenberg

Fareeha always looked stunning in her armor, and yet Angela always hated when she wore it. The armor meant battle, and the risk that her knight would never return.

 

Angela was the only one in Eigenberg who had always trusted the foreigner. The arrival of a young tan skinned woman carrying a broadsword had caused rumblings about the town. However, she caused no trouble and the murmur died down as they acclimated to her. Everything changed when the Danes attacked. The stranger had volunteered to fight, to the laughs of the lord of the town, yet they needed every spare soldier then had. Outnumbered by the Danes 2:1, Eigenberg stood little chance. Things went from bad to worse when the general took an arrow to the head. Ranks folded, lines of soldiers were slaughtered, and Egienberg was poised to fall. Out of the blue, the foreigner personally rallied the soldiers and the Danes were repelled for a time.

Impressed by the stranger’s prowess in command, Fareeha Amari of Samafia, as the lords came to know, was given lieutenantship in the local army. It was not long before she was the full commander.

 

Angela’s skilled hands rapidly fastened the armor to Fareeha. Beautifully polished plates of steel, secured by leather bands. The Danes had returned once more and as always, Fareeha was joining her troops.

“You look very intimidating.” She said as she finished loading Fareeha. “Be safe my knight?” She placed a kiss on her breast plate.

"For you my angel, always." Fareeha returned a kiss to Angela's head. "I have a surprise for you when I get back."

"What is it?" Angela hated the surprises, they were always pleasant, but the anticipation killed her.

"You will find out when I come back." The general loved to tease her.

 

It was a mere day's march to the field where Fareeha had decided to face the Danes. Eigenberg had 29,000 citizens and of them, around two thousands could be brought into battle. The general had assembled a force of 973 soldiers, of all races inhabiting the city, most elves and men, but a fair few dwarves and even orcs. 654 with spears, 87 archers, 113 cavalry, 38 knights, 9 scouts, and 72 women to help with battle preparations. Their earliest scouts had seen a force of close to 2500 Danes by their best guess. Fareeha dared not field the full force of Eigenberg, they still needed defending should she fail. It was far from great odds, but she planned to send a message.

* * *

The camp of Eigenberg's forces was a marvel of efficiency. A neat grid pattern of canvas tents, with all utilities optimally placed for ease of access. Eigenberg's best minds had been employed by the army to plot out this arrangement, one of the advantages of such a large city.

"General, the Danes have requested an audience." Formire, Fareeha's second in command had entered her tent as she interviewed the scouts. "They wish to speak with the commander and have allowed you to bring two soldiers. They will be waiting on the hill"

"Excellent. Find Darson and Mamile." Fareeha prayed to avoid battle, many of these men would leave widows otherwise.

* * *

As Fareeha and her two guards approached the appointed hill, she silently rehearsed her lines. She'd have to feign respect for the Danes, ignore their jabs, and offer them no emotion if they stood a chance of negotiating.

"Which one of yoo is tha comandar?" The lead Dane questioned in his booming voice as Eigenberg's contingent arrived.

"I am." Fareeha declared proudly.

"Ha! They send a woman to face us, an a Saracen no less? I 'ope we do not kill yoo, yoo will maka fine bride." The general chuckled at the insult. Such words only drove her to succeed.

"Be careful not to let confidence cloud your judgement sir. We can still resolve this with out the need for anyone to die." Fareeha doubted the Dane would take to offer.

"You're citeh is the richest for three days ride. We will 'ave it, so if yoo dont want anyone dyin', give it to us and leave Saracen." It was exactly the response Fareeha had anticipated.

"I am sorry we could not come to an arrangement. Should you find a more reasonable demand, send a runner and we will discuss."  _I'm going to enjoy this_. Fareeha thought coldly as they left the Danes.

* * *

The night prior to the battle had been spent in strategy. It was a brilliant, though quite risky, plan. If the gamble payed off, the Danes would receive a message even they could understand.

300 soldiers, followed by 30 archers took their positions on the crest of a small hill overlooking a field. The morning fog had just begun to clear as the Danes came into view. 2500 strong, bearing swords, axes, and hammers. Egienberg's forces paled in comparison to their attackers. The invading commander laughed at the tiny force that opposed him, and once more, the Saracen was no where in sight. 

"Show them the err' of their ways!" The Dane commander cried as his troops broke into a mad sprint across the 200 yards to the defending force. 

Yells of anger and intimidation and the clack of metal and wood filled the cold morning air as the Danes rapidly closed on their target. As ordered, Eigenberg's archers held their fire, as the Danes came within 100 yards, 75, 50, 40, and then, they were stopped dead.

The General had positioned her troops just beyond a large bog. Weeks of rain had saturated the field and the Danes were now knee deep in thick mud. With the enemy now immobilized, a hail of arrows rained down upon the Danes. Simultaneously, the remainder of Fareeha's force emerged upon a hill on the Dane's right flank, and another battery of archers loosed their arrows into the jumbled hoard of raiders.

Fareeha stood at the front of her formation, her armor glistening in the sun. A number of Danes broke off the charge this new threat as many others attempted to push through the bog. 

The first of the attackers were soon upon Fareeha, but her men held strong. Their spears far outreaching the swords of the enemy, sending soldier after soldier tumbling dead down the hill. Despite their advantages, the sheer number of Danes was overwhelming Eigenberg's force. Even as their cavalry joined the fight, Eigenberg's soldiers struggled to hold their lines. 

From her hill, Fareeha could see the main line begin to falter.  _This had better be worth it_. She dared not consider the shame of defeat at this crucial hour.

One Dane had made his way up the hill and swung his sword at the general, who easily parried it, before placing her own sword between his ribs. Another enemy, this one more skilled, engaged Fareeha. Cautiously, the duelists prodded each other's defenses, looking for an opening. Each scored glancing blows, but Fareeha's armor more than matched her opponent's blade. Suddenly, a sharp pain streaked through the general's back. Without thinking, she slashed her opponent's leg and spun around to face what had hit her. A Dane stood with his hammer poised to cave in Fareeha's helmet. As he prepared his killing strike, a speartip burst through his chest. One of Fareeha's soldiers had impaled the Dane. She returned to her original foe, driving her blade into his abdomen, before kicking him down the hill. She gave her savior a nod of thanks, he was marked for recognition.

Yet another Dane had reached Fareeha and, evading her guard, crashing his axe in her breast plate. With the wind gone from her lungs, the general stumbled a moment, then rushed forward at her attacker. Grabbing his arms, they fought for footing. Though the Dane was strong, Fareeha was fast. She removed a dagger from her waist, ending his life with a quick slash to the throat, spraying warm blood across her face.

Looking back over the battlefield, her troops had done well and regrouped. The Danes were routing, but Fareeha still had a message to send. Eigenberg would not be taking prisoners today. 

* * *

Fareeha's soldiers had fought hard, lost many friends, but earned their victory and rest. Almost 3/4 of the Danes had been killed, and Eigenberg had lost a mere 118 men. Better yet, the cavalry had captured the Danes commander.

The general strode into the tent where their captive was held. She wore her damaged armor with pride, and planted her still blood coated sword in the ground as she entered. His dejected face brought a ember of pride to her chest.

"I want you to tell your ruler something. Please listen close, its important you remember this." She said as smugly as she could.

"I will not listen to yoo or your threats." The enemy commander responded, still defiant, yet exhausted.

"Still uncooperative. Very well. One of your men will happily carry our message. Darson, relieve this man of his head." The soldier made a show of raising his sword for a killing stroke.

"WAIT WAIT WAIT!" The theatrics had done the trick. "What is your message? I will tell it, I swear to yoo."

"I want you to say these exact words; 'You sent 2500 men and we sent less than 1000. And we have won the day. You can send 5000 next time. And 10000 the tike after that. And your whole kingdom after that. But ask, how much is Eigenberg worth to you? I will not give you this city while my heart still beats, and neither will any man in this army. Never send your army to our city again, or you shall see just how many men of yours we can slaughter.' Do you have all that?"

He nodded apprehensively. With his bonds undone, the Dane fled into the night, hoping his ships had not yet left.

* * *

Fareeha's forces returned to Eigenberg triumphant. Crowds lined the road into the wall, shouting adulations and throwing flowers to their protectors. Though the general appreciated the praise of her citizens, she had a more personal matter to attend to. The lords could wait, and besides, Formire could recount the battle just as well as she.

 

As she expected, Angela was waiting in the general's chamber as she always did after a battle.

"Fareeha your armor? Are you hurt?" Angela rushed in, running her soft hands over the dents in Fareeha's breastplate.

"It is good to see you too Angela. It is nothing." Her lover was always more concerned than need be.

"With you it is never nothing." She returned, practically tearing the armor off of Fareeha.

Angela worked her hand beneath the padded jacked Fareeha wore under the armor. A wince from the general confirmed her suspicions.

"It is just a bruise." Fareeha knew the words were worthless. With no further sound from Angela, she felt the familiar warmth of her body being healed. "Was that really necessary?" The minor wound would have healed on its own in a week or so.

"You know I can't stand to see scars on you." Angela countered. "What was the surprise you had for me? Not even Cancile knew what it was." As per usual, Angela had interrogated Fareeha's squires.

Fareeha grinned, turned around and ran her hand across the ledge above the doorway. One of the advantages of being more than a hand taller than Angela was she could hide things from her easily. She pulled a small leather sack from ledge before facing Angela.

"I have thought for many months about this." She said as she reached her fingers into the bag. "Angela, I want to marry you." The general produced a brilliant golden ring, an intricate weave of individual strands of precious metals, with a glistening gem stone crowing it. It had cost her a small fortune and a great many personal favors, but for her angel, it was worth always it.

Angela threw herself into Fareeha's embrace. "Of course my knight." She had secretly hope that this was the surprise. "I was worried I would be the one to make the proposal." She mocked.

"I will admit, I had some encouragement." By that, the general meant half her army telling her to get on with marrying the beautiful mage.

"Before you marry me, you need a bath. You smell like war." Angela laughed.

"Only if you join me." Fareeha proposed flirtatiously, taking Angela's hand.


End file.
